Time and temporality in the Viking Age

An Archaeology of Reuse, Remembering, and Relations to the Past in the Past in Scandinavia, 750-1050 CE

Lund, Julie

This publication reveals intricate relationships between the Viking Age and its pasts. The book explores previous studies of the past in the past and their theoretical foundations, drawing on relationality, materiality, and affectivity as productive ways of moving the field forward.
Three case studies examine the use of the past in the raising of ship settings in the Viking Age, the presence of antiquities and references to the past in Viking Age hoards, and the use of kerbstones as references to a specific past. Furthermore, it explores the relationship between social memory and reuse in the past. It demonstrates how active engagement with the past was integral to social identities and self-perceptions.
The analyses of the archaeological record point to some of the mechanisms through which the past was appropriated, altered, and integrated into Viking Age practices. The analysis underscores the political dimensions of memory, challenging established preconceptions of reuse as automatically being conducted to legitimise power relations. The study thus provides a nuanced lens through which to examine how Viking Age inhabitants conceptualised and utilised their temporal realities. By recognising the relational nature of pasts and their materials, the publication re-evaluates Viking Age society, underlining the relevance of collective memory in shaping identity and social relations across temporal boundaries. More than anything, it shows how uses of the past were varied and diverse practices in Viking Age society.